For all those wondering whether the Downtown Farmers’ Market will return for a second season, the answer is a definitive “yes” – albeit with a few changes. Patrick Horine, founder of both the downtown and the Tower Grove farmers’ markets, told The Scoop that in order to attract more customers to the downtown market during the 2011 season, the hours of operation will change to 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Last year, the market was open from 4 to 7 p.m. The market day, Thursday, will remain the same.
Horine expects that, similar to last year, some 20 to 30 vendors will sell be selling their products at the market, including some new growers such as the International Institute of St. Louis, which began an urban farming program last year. In addition, organizers will be working with area restaurants to increase the amount of prepared food available to market-goers. The Partnership for Downtown St. Louis will once again slate live music and other entertainment for the weekly event. The season is tentatively scheduled to begin June 2 and will run for 20 weeks.
This article appears in January 2011.